Carl is a DJ first and foremost, as well as the founder member, co-writer and producer of live 7 piece band Urban DK, promoter and resident DJ of HEADSTART at Turnmills and now Chief A&R for the new label HEADSTART. With a background like Carl's there is little wonder he has become such a success.

He was introduced to house music in '86 by his friend who played him records like Mr Fingers "Washing Machine" which Carl remembered thinking "There's no words in this...", then he got into it and has never looked back.....

He was a proper balearic and acid house freak making regular trips to late eighties clubs and parties like, Genesis, Flying parties, Boys Own and the Downham Tavern(!)...

He started DJing in 1990, begged borrowed and stole to get his decks, and started out playing US House & Garage. His background was in Punk, Reggea & Ska, influenced by The Sex Pistols, The Jam, King Tuppy, Steel Pulse, The New York Dolls, Willie Nelson & Jonny Cash! In the late eighties he got into the Indie scene and the Stone Roses. Started playing clubs on the South Coast while at University, then came to Turnmills in '94 to promote a Tthursday night club called Total Defiance. This was a deep, underground, tech house night with guests like Derrick Carter, Rolando, Paul Daley, Weatherall and the first ever Underground Resistance party in the UK, which almost gave Carl the problem of being the most wanted man in Detroit.

On from there to become resident at Logical Progression in the Earth room when the legendary drum and bass night took up residency at Turnmills in 95. Since that time Carl has been an integral part of the Turnmills team. He went on to set up the leftfield room Eclectronica within the Gallery in 95 to play Trip Hop, Funk and whatever was leftfield. His guest DJs at that time included Ed Chemical, The Freestylers, Tipper, Adam Freeland, Kahunas, Sean Rowley, Bobby Gillespie, Jon Carter & Richard Fearless. Norman Cook was a regular face in the crowd as well as Arthur Baker and just about everyone else in London - a social happening within a club, which started with a make shift sound system on a balcony within a restaurant inside Turnmills.

During this time Carl was also resident at the famous Big Kahuna Burger, the first Big Beat club (along with Heavenly) to change the dance music scene forever. It was punk rock versus Hand Bag House. Playing alongside Norman Cook (before Fat Boy....), Dan & Jon Kahuna & The Chemicals (before Dig your own Hole.....), Tim Burgess (Charlatans....) many long lasting musical relationships were forged from this period which still exist to this day within the HEADSTART.

In 1996, Urban DK was formed with the unlikely liaison between Carl the techno/breaks bad boy and the mild mannered, respectable oxford graduated Jim Elliot. Their mutual interests in music have enabled them to create genre defying music, with beats, breaks and songs....Over the last four years they have produced five singles debuting in 1996 with MESKAL, followed by SOUL SURVIVOR . The third single BATMAN DANCING (98) was picked up by McDonalds for a worldwide TV advertising campaign (...remember the disco ad!!) . BOGGLEKTRO (from THE DONE SOME DAMAGE EP) in 98 has been their most successful to date, and the most recent single (99) was IT'S GONNA RAIN. Their debut Album HAVE A GO HERO (99) received critical acclaim from all the major music press, and was album of the week for 5 weeks running in Time Out. The lead single from the album (which has never been released) was used for a Mastercard TV advertising campaign. Urban DK is still alive and songs are still being written, but Carl decided to move away in true Sabres style from major labels and corporate bastardisation & stopped the lead single being released for fear of turning into something that it didnt set out to be - Bedroom to £1000 a day studio!!. This sterile enviroment is not what Urban DJ set out to be and will never be. Their wish is to stay truely independant to ensure the integrity of their music and artwork.

Back to the decks........When Heavenly Jukebox came to a close in Feb 1999, opening up the Saturday night at Turnmills for the first time in 4 years, Carl was in a perfect position to formulate Headstart, with fellow burger boys Dan & Jon Kahuna, bringing them together once again. Within a month the magic was working with old pals Andy Weatherall, Leftfield, Norman Cook and The Chemical Brothers back under the same roof once again......One year on, Headstart has now become one of Londons best leftfield nights, developing its own sound, bringing Acid House fast forward into the 21st Century. Carl continues to play at Headstart alongside world class residents Dave Clarke, Josh Wink & Weatherall.

Carl's strong links with French stars The Micronaughts developed through their mutual and musical interests, have created a bond between the electronic French scene and Headstart with regular exchanges across the pond. The club sound has lead to the creation of the Headstart record label, with Carl producing music under his own name and building up a roster of new talented artists, that will continue to push forward the sound that has become Saturday night at Turnmills.

This year is full steam ahead with the label's widely anticipated debut single Taking Their Lives Away due for release mid June. This track has already created waves in clubland with endorsements from all corners. Annie Nightingale recently broadcast a one hour mix compliled by Carl, which made history on her show on Radio One for being the longest guest mix she has ever played.

Muzik Magazine DJ of the Month Aug 2000. Watch out world, Carl Clarke is about to unleash Acid House on the 21st Century.